Application Book: Heating Solutions for All Industries | Page 41
PROCESS CONTROL
PRE-HEATING AND POST-HEATING METALS FOR WELDING, BRAZING, AND SOLDERING
A simple and effective way to preheat and post-heat metal objects to reduce joint failures
Application
When welding, brazing, or soldering metals such as steel, aluminum, Inconel, stainless steel, and
other ferrous or nonferrous alloys, joint failures and other defects can occur due to the extreme
thermal stresses imposed by rapid heating and cooling at the connection area. Preheating and
post-heating the connection area is done to better prepare the surfaces and slow the cooling
process to reduce the potential for joint failure. It also drives out moisture which may also cause
problems. As a result, there is less rework required and the finished piece performs better.
Technicians in this field know, and governing bodies such as ASME, API, ASM, NAVSEA, in addition
to proprietary entities, have codes that require preheating and post-heating many metals when
welding, brazing, or soldering.
A preheating application BriskHeat assisted with was a submarine manufacturer welding large steel
beams to reinforce a nuclear reactor chamber within a nuclear submarine. The steel beams were 6
in thick x 12 in wide x 120 in long (152 mm thick x 305 mm wide x 3048 mm long). Preheating to
360°F (182°C) before joining was critical to prepare the surface, and post-heating to ensure a slow
enough cooling rate to avoid failure was also required. Preheat temperatures can vary from metal to
metal depending on carbon/alloy content and thickness but are generally 175°F to 500°F (79°C
to 260°C). To be truly effective, preheating and post-heating must be uniform across the entire
joining area. Depending upon the size and shape of the materials being joined, hours of manpower
and large amounts of fuel could be wasted using other heating methods such as torching or
steaming. Hotspots and uneven heating are likely to occur when preheating in these manners.
Additionally, torching or steaming greatly increases the risk of technicians sustaining burns.
Solution
BriskHeat BWH heavy insulated fiberglass heating tapes can deliver heat up to 1400°F (760°C).
They have a high watt density of 13.1 W/in² (2.0 W/cm²) which ensures a rapid thermal
response and even distribution of heat. BWH fiberglass heating tapes are a safer, more efficient,
and provide more even heat for pre and post-heating than other methods such as torching or
steaming. They are exceptionally flexible and easily conform to complex shapes, making them
ideal for a variety of difficult metal joining applications. Industrial heating applications require
temperature controllers that can be sealed from dust. BriskHeat’s BH-510, TB4000 and
TC4000 controllers meeting this requirement with IP65 and IP66 enclosures. Heater, power and
temperature sensor are all connected through sealing glands in the enclosure. These can be wall
mounted or mounted to a frame using mounting clips or plates (optional).
In other applications where the required heat is never more than 450°F (232°C), BriskHeat full
line of BS0 silicone heating tapes or SRL silicone heating blankets are an effective solution.
Additional Uses
BWH heavy Insulated fiberglass heating
tapes can also be used to preheat
and expand metals for the insertion
or removal of components within an
assemby or to remove moisture for
testing, and more.
Industries
BH-510
Types of Users
Aviation/Aerospace
General Manufacturing
Construction
Metal Fabrication
Marine Shipbuilding
Defense
Mining
Power Generation
Oil & Gas
Waste Water Treatment
Welding Technicians
Production Managers
Design Engineers
Fabricators and Builders
Toll Free: 800-848-7673 | Phone: 614-294-3376 | BriskHeat.com | Email: [email protected] | Fax: 614-294-3807
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